By Alesha Capone
WYNDHAM’S business leaders have called for planning of the Werribee Employment Precinct to begin as quickly as possible.
Committee for Wyndham executive director Nik Tsardakis said the precinct was urgently needed for the area, which has experienced the fastest and largest population increase out of all Victorian municipalities in recent years.
Wyndham mayor John Menegazzo has said he was hopeful the State Government would soon establish a planning authority or committee for the Werribee Employment Precinct (WEP) project, a comment Mr Tsardakis agreed with.
“You need an authority just to be able to meet the challenge of this type of employment precinct,” he said.
“It needs to be set up right now; the issue of the Werribee Employment Precinct is something which needs to be set up as soon as possible.
“It would certainly have some improvement on road and rail congestion and the liveability of the city.”
Planning Minister Matthew Guy said either the new Urban Renewal Authority or the Growth Areas Authority would manage the WEP land “in co-operation with the City of Wyndham”.
“This precinct offers the chance to locate commercial jobs in the City of Wyndham, and for the government to work with the council to offer zoning incentives for business to be in the precinct,” Mr Guy said.
Cr Menegazzo also said he hoped the government would consider locating a government department within Wyndham or the West in the future, but the future of the WEP would not depend on this. But Mr Guy said: “The success of the employment precinct going forward won’t hinge on a government department coming here,” he said.
